Pastor accused of child sexual assault back in court

Robert Ruark is shown in a photo provided by the Fairfield Police Department.

FAIRFIELD — After months of delays, a probable cause hearing was scheduled Wednesday for the 65-year-old former pastor of St. Timothy Orthodox Church in Cordelia who faces felony sexual assault charges.

Robert E. Ruark, also known as Father Silas, was arrested in July 2012. He has previously pleaded not guilty to 31 felony sex charges involving children and a felony charge of trying to dissuade a witness.

The charges involve four victims – now adults – who police said were 12- 0r 13-year-old children when Ruark is alleged to have sexually assaulted and photographed them. The victims told authorities that Ruark molested them between 2001 and 2007 when they were juveniles, either at the Central Way church or during sleepovers at Ruark’s home in Suisun City.

Judge E. Bradley Nelson ordered Ruark to return to court Feb. 21 for the start of a probable cause hearing that’s expected to last two days.

Reach Jess Sullivan at 427-6919 or [email protected] Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jsullivandr.

Jess Sullivan

Jess has covered the criminal justice system in Solano County for several years.
He was an embedded reporter in Iraq in 2003.